By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
MANILA, Aug. 19 (PNA) — Typhoon “Ineng” maintained its strength as it moved toward extreme Northern Luzon and threatened the Province of Batanes, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) said on Wednesday.
In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Robert Badrina said that as of 5 p.m. the eye of typhoon Ineng was located at 660 km East of Calayan, Cagayan (19.0°N, 127.7°E), packed with maximum sustained winds of 180 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 215 kph. It is forecast to move West at 20 kph.
Badrina said they were looking of two scenarios — whether to make landfall or not –still typhoon “Ineng” would threaten Batanes.
He said the first scenario, once the high pressure area receded typhoon Ineng would recurve as it moved upward just like the track of typhoon Hanna, towards Taiwan, and has a slim chance to make a landfall.
He added the second scenario – if the High Pressure Area (HPA) would not recede, it moved westward heading towards Batanes and had a high chance to make landfall by Friday.
Whether to landfall or not Batanes would still be affected by the typhoon, Badrina said in Filipino.
Typhoon Ineng, with its present speed and movement, is expected to exit the country by Sunday, heading towards Hong Kong.
Badrina also said that since the typhoon was still in the sea, it was expect to intensify but had the slim chance of intensifying into super typhoon category.
Meanwhile, signal no. 2 (Winds of 61-100 kilometers per hour expected in at least 24 hours) remained hoisted over the provinces of Batanes Group of Islands and Cagayan, including Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands.
The wave height is 4.1 – 14.0 meters and storm surge possible at coastal areas.
Public storm warning signal no. 1 (30-60 kph winds is expected in at least 36 hours) remained hoisted over Luzon provinces of Isabela, Kalinga, Apayao, Abra and Ilocos Norte.
Badrina also said that typhoon “Ineng” started to enhance the southwest monsoon or “hangin habagat” that will bring occasional rains over Visayas and Palawan.
He said that beginning Thursday until early next week the enhanced “habagat” would also bring occasional rains over the western section of Luzon, including Metro Manila.
Badrina said the state-run weather bureau also issued a gale warning due to the effects of the typhoon as the sea condition would be rough to very rough due to strong to gale force winds expected to affect the eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon and the seaboards of Northern and Eastern Samar.
In the next 24 hour forecast, PAGASA said stormy weather with rough to very rough seas would prevail over Batanes and Cagayan, including Calayan and Babuyan group of Islands while Rains with gusty winds over Apayao and Isabela.
Occasional rains will be experienced over Visayas and Palawan while cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms is expected over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, the rest of Cordillera and the provinces of Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Mindoro, Batangas and Cavite.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of the country.
It added moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northwest to West over Central Luzon and the rest of Northern Luzon and coming from the Southwest to West will prevail over the rest of the country.
The coastal waters over the rest of the archipelago will be moderate to rough. (PNA)